sports betting Minister Tracey Crouch resigns over 'delay' to wagering crackdown
1 November 2018
sports betting minister Tracey Crouch has actually resigned over "hold-ups" to a crackdown on optimal stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers.
Chancellor Philip Hammond stated in Monday's Budget that the cut in stakes from ₤ 100 to ₤ 2 would come into force in October 2019.
Ms Crouch said pushing back the date was "unjustifiable" and it could cost the lives of issue bettors.
She tweeted: "Politicians reoccur but concepts stick with us forever."
Prime Minister Theresa May stated she was disappointed Ms Crouch had actually resigned however there had actually been "no hold-up in advancing this crucial procedure".
High stakes for fixed-odds sports betting makers
' I lost ₤ 250,000 on wagering machines'

sports betting maker stakes to be cut to ₤ 2
The federal government has denied Labour declares that MPs had actually been led to believe the cut would enter into force at the start of the next tax year, in April 2019. They recommended the cut had been planned to be presented in April 2020.
But in her resignation letter, Ms Crouch stated: "Unfortunately, application of these changes are now being postponed up until October 2019 due to dedications made by others to those with registered interests.
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End of twitter post by Tracey Crouch
"From the time of the announcement to reduce stakes and its implementation, over ₤ 1.6 bn will be lost on these machines.
"In addition, two individuals will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related issues and, for that factor as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable."
She included: "It is a truth of federal government that ministers need to adhere to collective duty and can not disagree with policy, not to mention when it is policy made against your wishes relating to your own portfolio."
'God bless'
Among those applauding her on social networks, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby tweeted, external that she was "principled and bold" adding: "May God bless her dedication to doing right."
Former foreign secretary Boris Johnson tweeted, external that she "should have big credit not simply for her project however for sticking up for her concepts".
Fixed-odds sports betting terminals generate ₤ 1.8 bn in earnings a year for the sports betting market, according to the Gambling Commission, external, and taxes of ₤ 400m for the government.
Currently, people can wager approximately ₤ 100 every 20 seconds on electronic gambling establishment video games such as roulette. Anti-gambling campaigners state the machines let players lose cash too quickly, resulting in dependency and social, psychological and monetary issues.
But bookmakers have actually cautioned the cut in stakes could result in thousands of outlets closing.
In her reaction to Ms Crouch, the PM stated the government had actually listened to those who wanted the modifications to come into effect faster than April 2020 and "had actually agreed that the modifications should remain in location within the year - by October 2019".

In his Budget on Monday, the chancellor stated the modification to fixed-odds stakes would enter into force next October at the very same time as changes to responsibility charged on gambling firms based abroad but operating in the UK.
The government states co-ordinating the date of the two changes would suggest the federal government would not be struck by a fall in tax profits.
Who is Tracey Crouch?
The 43-year-old MP has represented Chatham and Aylesford, in Kent, because 2010
She was promoted to the front bench as sports betting minister in 2015
She is known for her opposition to fox hunting and her love of football - she is a qualified FA coach
Grammar school informed at Folkestone School for Girls, she went on to get a degree in law and politics from Hull University
She had worked for numerous Tory MPs, including Michael Howard and David Davis before meaning election
She had her very first kid in 2016 and is thought to have actually been the first Tory minister to take maternity leave
But in the Commons on Thursday, Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson implicated the federal government of "capitulating to the sports betting market".
He applauded Ms Crouch's "courageous and principled decision" and stated Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright "must be thoroughly ashamed" of prioritising "corporate interests over victims, earnings over public health and greed over good".
MPs from all sides of your home participated his criticism. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith stated it must be discussed as part of the Finance Bill later on this month.

Week ahead in Parliament: The Finance Bill
He told the BBC: "There are lots of people whose lives have been harmed by this dependency ... We require to do this extremely rapidly, as rapidly as we can and in the meantime, the sports betting market will make about ₤ 1bn as a result of this delay. That's wrong."
Labour has actually informed the BBC that they will put down a modification to the Finance Bill to try and bring in the changes next April.